The Transfusion Medicine Academic Award will enable The George Washington University School of Medicine to establish a comprehensive education program in transfusion science and research. The long-term goals involve two major aspects: improving the quality of transfusion practice and encouraging qualified physician-scientists to pursue careers in the research and teaching of. transfusion medicine. To achieve these objectives, the Awardee will chair a Committee on Transfusion Education and Research, which will plan, implement, and evaluate multi-disciplinary curricula involving clinical practice, basic research, and clinical research in transfusion medicine. The Awardee will: 1) develop multi-faceted education programs for faculty, undergraduate medical students, and graduate medical staff at The George Washington University Hospital; 2) work with the American Red Cross National Headquarters to develop a model for regional blood donor centers to provide transfusion education to physicians at community hospitals; 3) conduct ongoing research studies to identify learning objectives shared by various disciplines, thus permitting the efficient design of concurrent multi-disciplinary educational activities; and 4) develop and use evaluation instruments for all aspects of the program. Unique features of the George Washington University program include: 1) evaluation of behavior modification strategies by auditing and computer-based monitoring of all transfusion events within the hospital; 2) provision of opportunities for medical students to work in basic science transfusion research laboratories with established investigators at the Jerome Holland Laboratory of the American Red Cross and at The George Washington University; and 3) evaluation of the effect of concurrent consultation in modifying inappropriate transfusion practices.